The Supremes Sing Country Western And Pop - The Stereo album.

[Stone Diamond]

I'm starting to think that this album just doesn't exist, twice now I have bought the "Stereo" version from ebay; and when they have arrived from the States, both have "Stereo" on the cover, and both have "Stereo" on the LP label. But when I play them they are both in mono. I bought the mono version when it was first released in early 1965, and both the "Stereo" albums, are identical in sound. Has anyone ever bought a Stereo copy on vinyl that was actually Stereo? Or have I been unlucky and bought two wrongly put together ones?

[kenneth]

I have the Stereo version of Supremes Sing CW&P, and it's actually a very nicely done, full Stereo sound, unlike some of the other early Supremes' LPs which to me sound very "thin" in Stereo, such as the Liverpool LP. I'm not sure it was issued originally in Stereo, one of the early inserts listing available LPs [[I think this would be one of the early Blue inner sleeves) might tell us. I bought mine several years later, when they issued several of the earlier LPs in Stereo, such as the Meet the Supremes with the "faces" cover. But mine is definitely true stereo with a very lush mix which even when I was young I could appreciate.

[Stone Diamond]

Thanks for that, I'll have to give it another go on ebay, and keep my fingers cross.

[theboyfromxtown]

I checked my copies

The mono is H-1340
The stereo is HS-1340

[uptight]

That would be a rare labeling mixup if the label says stereo but is the mono pressing. I know for sure the stereo LP version of Supremes Sing Country Western And Pop has a distinctive stereo mix. If you have the original DRATS Anthology, "Funny How Time Slips Away" is the same stereo mix used in the stereo LP -- a decent mix, typical of the early days at Motown.

Hopefully it is just a matter of checking your wiring between your turntable and stereo system. Otherwise, I'm sorry to hear you had bad luck with two eBay purchases.

If you can listen closely with headphones, is the vinyl surface noise in stereo, with some clicks and pops in one channel and other pops in the other channel? If the surface noise is completely mono, then you are either getting fed only one channel, or both channels are combined [[maybe through the use of a monaural Y-adapter?). Are you attempting to send the sound into your computer where the sound card isn't designed for a stereo input? Are the cable connections loose?

[kenneth]

Stone Diamond,

It won't help you with an EBAY purchase, unless you have a seller who's willing to check it out for you, but I imagine the matrix numbers in the dead wax are different on the stereo vs. the mono versions. That should be a better guarantee than the label itself.

[George Solomon]

The stereo LP also has alternate lead vocals on "My Heart Can't Take It No More" and "You Didn't Care".

[chestersong]

i know this sounds dumb, but double check your needle to be sure it's proper. a friend of mine had one switched on him once and it took some time before noticed!

[Stone Diamond]

chestersong

• View Profile
• View Forum Posts
• Private Message
• View Articles
• Add as Contact

Member


Join DateAug 2010Posts66

i know this sounds dumb, but double check your needle to be sure it's proper. a friend of mine had one switched on him once and it took some time before noticed!

Not dumb at all, it's the first thing I did. Then I ripped them and put them in the Sony Sound Forge, and the wave pattern in both channels are identical.
What are the chances of landing up with two copies wrongly labelled? Just my luck I suppose. Thanks for the matrix numbers, both have H-1340 in the plastic.

[nabob]

I checked my copies

The mono is H-1340
The stereo is HS-1340

Here are a couple of label scans. The second is from a 1965 pressing of the album. Notice that the ® is missing above MOTOWN. This album preceded having registered trademarks. In response to John's comment above, the pressing plant erred by listing the matrix number as H-1340 instead of HS-1340. The first is a later edition pressed in Venezuela. Although the Motown catalog number remains as MT-625, this pressing has its own catalog number. Both albums are crystal clear stereo with exceptional mastering compared to other product at the time.

It's interesting that another type of matrix number S4RS-0712 and S4RS-0713 appear in the vinyl outside the labels on both pressings. This system was used to indicate approximately when the albums were mastered. The "S" represents 1965 and the "4" represents the first half of the year. An album mastered in the latter half of 1964 would have borne the sequence starting as RS4S or RM4M. At the end of the alphabet, the system was started again as A5RS. The system was tracked through 1975 and may have extended longer, but between failing eyesight for fine print and not wanting to make a thesis of the project, the search was suspended.

[chestersong]

now i'm excited to check to see what is in my record box. I bought 3 of these albums over the last 3 decades and can't remember whether they were stereo or not.

[uptight]

Starting in the 1990s, for me, collecting both versions of Motown LPs from the mid-60s was fun. At least the monaural version of this one was released on CD in the early 1990s. George Solomon has just pointed out a major difference between the two versions.

[chestersong]

yes, thanks again, George! I have the CD and that is why i have not listened to my albums in forever. so will have to check out the alternate lead vocals if i have the stereo LP. but maybe "those" leads have already been released? i best check.

[George Solomon]

Alternate lead on "My Heart Can't Take It No More" is very subtle. You might not notice until the fade. But Diana's alternate on "You Didn't Care" is pretty obvious.
And while we're on CW&P trivia. The mono vocal of "[[The Man With The) Rock And Roll Banjo Band" on the LP/CD is different than the mono vocal on the single B side of "A Breath Taking Guy". [[Also most noticeable on the fade).

[Stone Diamond]

Interesting piece on the matrix numbers, I've always wonder what the code was. Is there a book on Motown's Matrix numbers, or is there a far too small number of people who buy one, to make it worth while?
Just for the record the matrix on my two "Stereo" copies are H 1340/41 - RR4M-6560/1

[phil]

It's interesting that another type of matrix number S4RS-0712 and S4RS-0713 appear in the vinyl outside the labels on both pressings. This system was used to indicate approximately when the albums were mastered. The "S" represents 1965 and the "4" represents the first half of the year. An album mastered in the latter half of 1964 would have borne the sequence starting as RS4S or RM4M. At the end of the alphabet, the system was started again as A5RS. The system was tracked through 1975 and may have extended longer, but between failing eyesight for fine print and not wanting to make a thesis of the project, the search was suspended.

Thanks for all these details Nabob, my copy has RR4M.

[theboyfromxtown]

Interesting piece on the matrix numbers, I've always wonder what the code was. Is there a book on Motown's Matrix numbers, or is there a far too small number of people who buy one, to make it worth while?
Just for the record the matrix on my two "Stereo" copies are H 1340/41 - RR4M-6560/1

There is....sort of....

http://www.melo-deemusicresearch.com/index.php?a=22&b=1

[tomato tom]

My vinyl copy is Mono for sure..Paulo xxx

[randy_russi]

I liked this lp, but I thought the backups were overdone, although it IS only Mary, Diana & Florence. I loved Florence's
lead on Makes No Difference Now.

[chestersong]

i checked and had one stereo and two mono LPs. I listened to them and it is just like George stated. the differences are subtle. A person must really pay attention in order to point out. Whereas some Motown stereo vs. mono productions are vastly different and more fun to collect. If a deluxe project comes to us in the future of this, one would want more than just a CD of stereo & mono LPs. A better release would be to pair it with "Funny Girl" or whatever has yet to be done.
I fear or realize that with the release of the "final sessions", supreme fans have seen the "most" of whats left; future items will be subtle differences for high prices. Still fun, but probably not economically sound.

[Stone Diamond]

There is....sort of....

http://www.melo-deemusicresearch.com/index.php?a=22&b=1

Thanks for this, I'll get ordering tomorrow . . . Cheers

[uptight]

I admire what the original producers did with the vocal arrangements. I believe they multi-tracked their own background vocals on some tunes for a fuller sound. The girls did an excellent job with what they had to work with.

Unfortunately for the stereo version, the engineers definitely over-saturated the master tape. The distortion almost ruins the listening experience for me. I guess the intent was to infuse a shot of "The Motown Sound" into the Country & Western style performances. Tape saturation was an effect that otherwise seemed key to Motown's success, but was used inappropriately here. While both versions have their technical flaws, the mono version was chosen for CD release in the 1990s because it may have had a bit less distortion. Or at least you didn't have the distraction of elements distorting differently between left and right channels.

[chestersong]

thank you for that, Uptight. i was just going to inquire as to why mono or stereo gets the CD release back in the day. today we often get both but of course CDs can now hold more.

[markdtiller]

Kenneth
I would be willing to pay for a CD copy of the stereo album, if you are willing and able. Let me know. Many thanks

[honest man]

Actually i have 2 copies of the album i will have to play ,see if any difference, to be honest when WDOLG expanded etc were released i could not tell difference between stereo or mono, also i have C AND W on cd ,what sound was that released , i have not a clue on listening, any hints to compare tracks, please, cheers.

[randy_russi]

I also really, really like "Baby Doll", especially the way Diana sings this one.

[honest man]

tears in vain great song ,which was first DRATS or stevie's both brilliant, cheers.

[randy_russi]

I liked Tears In Vain better by Stevie with Clarence Paul dueting with him. It was issued on the B side of Kiss Me Baby,
a flop basically. I think it was in '65.

[kenneth]

Kenneth
I would be willing to pay for a CD copy of the stereo album, if you are willing and able. Let me know. Many thanks

Check your In box...K

[Ramone Verona]

Not trying to get off topic, but did "Motown At The Hollywood Palace" with the Supremes ever get a CD release in the 80s or 90s?

[uptight]

No. A few of the tracks from Motown At The Hollywood Palace made it onto compilations, but they were new mixes made just for those compilations [[either without the canned applause or an alternate vocal performance). Tracks can be found on Jackson 5 Anthology [[2000) and The Supremes Anthology [[2002). The entire Motown At The Hollywood Palace has not officially been on CD yet. Your question would have been a good thread on its own.

=====

Supremes Sing Country Western And Pop does have some gems in it. I thought "Tumblweeds" was interesting because of the tempo, harmonies and somewhat goofy lyrics.

The album artwork made to look like a wall poster in a saloon was clever.

[marv2]

I have this album, but don't listen to it or many of the others from the sixties. Maybe I will make a point of doing that later this year.

[RossHolloway]

I've always thought the song Sunset was the standout on this album. They should have included it in their nightclub act. It would have fit right in on the Copa album.